"In Spirit between Heaven and Earth" by Alison Zapata
UC Santa Barbara is a Proud Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI)
UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) earned federal recognition as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) in 2015. Under the Higher Education Act, HSIs are defined as nonprofit, degree-granting postsecondary institutions with at least 25% Latiné undergraduate enrollment. For the 2024-25 academic year, Latiné students comprised approximately 28% of UCSB’s undergraduate population, reflecting the university’s commitment to serving a diverse student body.
Notably, UCSB was the first institution in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU) to achieve HSI status. Among the approximately 600 HSIs nationwide, only 22 are classified as Hispanic-Serving Research Institutions or HSRIs—a designation reserved for Research 1 (R1) institutions recognized for very high research activity.
R1 institutions meet rigorous standards, including an annual expenditure of at least $50 million on research and development and the conferral of at least 70 research doctorates. UCSB is also a proud member of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities and was recognized as a Fulbright HSI Leader for the fourth consecutive year.
As a globally renowned research university and an HSI, UCSB occupies a distinctive and influential position as a leading HSRI in California. This dual designation underscores UCSB’s dedication to academic excellence, innovative research, and fostering equitable access to higher education for all students.